LCRA awards $50,000 grant to Danish Heritage Preservation Society
Historic Danevang museum damaged by hurricane to be restored and reopened
May 8, 2025
The LCRA Community Development Partnership Program grant, along with $365,200 in matching funds from the preservation society, will help the foundation repair significant structural damage and restore exhibit space damaged by Hurricane Beryl in 2024. When the repairs are complete, the Danish Heritage Museum can reopen and continue welcoming school groups, heritage travelers and visitors from around the world.
“Hurricane Beryl tore off about a third of the museum’s roof, which led to significant water damage,” said Michael Hansen, president of the Danish Heritage Preservation Society. “We had to completely replace the roof, remove damaged insulation and drywall and install new flooring. Thankfully, none of our original artifacts were harmed, and this grant ensures we can complete the repairs and reopen to the public.”
As the museum rebuilds, the restoration effort also presents an opportunity to reimagine the layout of the exhibition space and expand the museum’s agricultural display area. The project also includes shingle and roof repairs to the adjacent Pioneer House, a Sears Roebuck home built in 1895.
“This museum tells the story of how Danish immigrants transformed prairie land into a vibrant farming community, an important part of the story of Texas,” Hansen said. “Many of our visitors are with Houston-area tour groups and they enjoy a traditional Danish country lunch and learning about the settlers who helped build this region. With this support, we’ll be able to continue sharing that legacy and keep Danevang’s heritage alive.”
LCRA General Manager Phil Wilson said LCRA is proud to play a role in helping the Danevang Heritage Museum reopen to continue sharing the story of the Danish residents who settled in the Danevang area in the late 1800s.
“The museum helps people learn about the challenges and successes of early Danish settlers as they made a new home in Texas,” he said. “These settlers made a significant contribution to the area, and the museum provides a fun, educational way to learn about life in the Danevang area in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The museum provides an important link between past and present, and we are looking forward to the museum reopening and welcoming visitors again soon.”
The community grant is one of 45 grants awarded recently through LCRA’s Community Development Partnership Program, which helps volunteer fire departments, local governments, emergency responders and nonprofit organizations fund eligible capital improvement projects in LCRA’s wholesale electric, water and transmission service areas. The program is part of LCRA’s effort to give back to the communities it serves.
About LCRA
The Lower Colorado River Authority serves customers and communities throughout Texas by managing the lower Colorado River; generating and transmitting electric power; providing a clean, reliable water supply; and offering outdoor adventures at more than 40 parks along the Colorado River from the Texas Hill Country to the Gulf Coast. LCRA and its employees are committed to fulfilling our mission to enhance the quality of life of the Texans we serve through water stewardship, energy and community service. LCRA was created by the Texas Legislature in 1934 and receives no state appropriations.
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